French fries are served hot, either soft or crispy, and generally eaten as part of lunch or dinner, or on their own as a snack, and they commonly appear on the menus of fast food restaurants. French fries are generally salted and are often served with ketchup; in many countries they are topped instead with other condiments or toppings, including vinegar, mayonnaise, or other local specialities. Fries can also be topped more elaborately, as in the dishes of poutine and chili cheese fries. Sometimes, fries are made with sweet potatoes instead of potatoes, are baked instead of fried, or are cut into unusual shapes, such as curly fries, wavy fries, or tornado fries.

Etymology

The expression "French Fried Potatoes" first occurs in print in English in the 1856 work Cookery for Maids of All Work by E Warren:

French Fried Potatoes. – Cut new potatoes in thin slices, put them in boiling fat, and a little salt; fry both sides of a light golden brown colour; drain.[8]

In the early 20th century, the term "French fried" was being used in the sense of "deep-fried", for other foods such as onion rings or chicken.[9][10]

It is unlikely that "French fried" refers to frenching in the sense of julienning, which is not attested until after French fried potatoes. Previously, frenching referred only to trimming meat off the shanks of chops.[11]

Culinary origin

Belgium

It is claimed that fries originated in Belgium, and the ongoing dispute between the French and Belgians about where they were invented is highly contentious, with both countries claiming ownership.[12] The popularity of the term "French fries" is explained as a result of "French gastronomic hegemony" internationally, into which the cuisine of Belgium was assimilated because of a lack of understanding coupled with a shared language and geographic proximity between the two countries.[12]

Belgian journalist Jo Gérard claims that a 1781 family manuscript recounts that potatoes were deep-fried prior to 1680 in the Meuse valley, in what was then the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium): "The inhabitants of Namur, Andenne, and Dinant had the custom of fishing in the Meuse for small fish and frying, especially among the poor, but when the river was frozen and fishing became hazardous, they cut potatoes in the form of small fish and put them in a fryer like those here."[13][14] Gérard has not produced the manuscript that supports this claim, which, even if true, is unrelated to the later history of the French fry, as the potato did not arrive in the region until around 1735. Also, given 18th century economic conditions: "It is absolutely unthinkable that a peasant could have dedicated large quantities of fat for cooking potatoes. At most they were sautéed in a pan...".[15]

Some people believe that the term "French" was introduced when British and American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I and consequently tasted Belgian fries.[16] They supposedly called them "French", as it was the local language and the official language of the Belgian Army at that time, believing themselves to be in France.[13] At that time, the term "French fries" was growing popular. But in fact the term was already used in America as early as 1899, in an item in Good Housekeeping which specifically references "Kitchen Economy in France": "The perfection of French fries is due chiefly to the fact that plenty of fat is used".[17]

France and other French-speaking countries

In France and other French-speaking countries, fried potatoes are formally pommes de terre frites, but more commonly pommes frites, patates frites, or simply frites. The word "aiguillettes" or allumettes is used when the French fries are very small and thin.

One enduring origin story holds that French Fries were invented by street vendors on the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris in 1789, just before the outbreak of the French revolution.[19] However, a reference exists in France from 1775 to "a few pieces of fried potato" and to "fried potatoes".[6]

Eating potatoes was promoted in France by Parmentier, but he did not mention fried potatoes in particular. Many Americans attribute the dish to France and offer as evidence a notation by U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. "Pommes de terre frites à cru, en petites tranches" ("Potatoes deep-fried while raw, in small slices") in a manuscript in Thomas Jefferson's hand (circa 1801–1809) and the recipe almost certainly comes from his French chef, Honoré Julien.[6] In addition, from 1813[20] on, recipes for what can be described as French fries occur in popular American cookbooks. By the late 1850s, one of these uses the term French fried potatoes.[21]

Frites are the main ingredient in the Canadian dish of Québécois descent known in both Canadian English and French as poutine, consisting of fried potatoes covered with cheese curds and gravy, a dish with a growing number of variations.

Spain

In Spain, fried potatoes are called patatas fritas or papas fritas. Another common form, in which the potatoes are cut into irregular shapes and seasoned with a spicy tomato sauce, is called patatas bravas.

Some[who?] speculate that the dish may have been invented in Spain, the first European country in which the potato appeared via the New Worldcolonies, and assume the first appearance to have been as an accompaniment to fish dishes in Galicia,[citation needed] from which it spread to the rest of the country and further to the Spanish Netherlands, which became Belgium more than a century later.

Spreading popularity

French fry production at a restaurant with thermostatic temperature control.

A mainstay of southern Africa – fried up "chips"

Frozen fries

The J. R. Simplot Company is credited with successfully commercializing French fries in frozen form during the 1940s. Subsequently, in 1967, Ray Kroc of McDonald's contracted the Simplot company to supply them with frozen fries, replacing fresh-cut potatoes.

In 2004, 29% of the United States' potato crop were used to make frozen fries – 90% consumed by the food services sector and 10% by retail.[23] It is estimated that 80% of households in the UK buy frozen fries each year.[24]

Belgium and the Netherlands

A patatje speciaal, with frietsaus, curry ketchup or tomato ketchup, and chopped raw onions, is popular in the Netherlands.

United Kingdom

Traditionally, thick-cut deep-fried potatoes, or chips as they are locally known in the United Kingdom, are cut much thicker and are typically between 10 and 15 mm (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. Since the surface-to-volume ratio is lower, they have a lower fat content. Thick-cut, or beefsteak, British chips are occasionally made from unpeeled potatoes. Chips are not necessarily served as crisp as the continental European French fry, owing to their relatively high water content. The British "chip" is dissimilar to what Americans call potato chips (British "potato crisps").

Like other deep-fried potatoes, they are cooked twice, once at a relatively low temperature (blanching) to cook the potato, and then at a higher temperature to crisp the surface, making them crunchy on the outside and fluffier on the inside.[citation needed]

The first chips fried in the UK were on the site of Oldham's Tommyfield Market in 1860.[27] A blue plaque in Oldham marks the origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries in Britain.[28] In Scotland, chips were first sold in Dundee, "...in the 1870s, that glory of British gastronomy – the chip – was first sold by Belgian immigrant Edward De Gernier in the city's Greenmarket".[29]

Pre-made French fries have been available for home cooking since the 1960s, usually having been pre-fried (or sometimes baked), frozen and placed in a sealed plastic bag.

Some later varieties of French fries are battered and breaded, and many fast-food chains in the U.S. dust the potatoes with kashi, dextrin, and other flavor coatings for crispier fries with particular tastes. Results with batterings and breadings, followed by microwaving, have not achieved widespread critical acceptance. Oven frying delivers a dish different from deep-fried potatoes.

Variants

Variants of French fries include thick-cut fries, steak fries, shoestring fries, jojos, crinkle fries, curly fries, hand-cut fries, Triple Cooked Chips, and tornado fries. Fries cut into rough cubes instead of sticks are called home fries. Fries cut thickly with the skin left on are called potato wedges, and fries without the skin are called steak fries, essentially the American equivalent of the British chip.[citation needed] They can also be coated with breading, spices, or other ingredients, which include garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika, and salt to create seasoned fries, cheese to create cheese fries, or chili to create chili fries. Sometimes, French fries are cooked in the oven as a final step in the preparation (having been coated with oil during preparation at the factory): these are often sold frozen and are called oven fries or oven chips. Some restaurants and groceries in North America offer French fries made from sweet potatoes instead of traditional white potatoes.[citation needed]

In France, the thick-cut fries are called Pommes Pont-Neuf[30] or simply pommes frites, about 10 mm; thinner variants are pommes allumettes (matchstick potatoes), ±7 mm, and pommes paille (potato straws), 3–4 mm (roughly 0.4, 0.3 and 0.15 inch respectively). The two-bath technique is standard (Bocuse). Pommes gaufrettes or waffle fries are not typical French fried potatoes, but actually crisps obtained by quarter-turning the potato before each next slide over a grater and deep-frying just once.[31] This results in large flat fries with two layers, each of which consists of parallel strips of potato.[citation needed]

Curly fries

In an interview, Burger King president Donald Smith said that his chain's fries are sprayed with a sugar solution shortly before being packaged and shipped to individual outlets. The sugar caramelizes in the cooking fat, producing the golden color customers expect. McDonald's was assumed to fry their fries for a total time of about 15 to 20 minutes, and with fries fried at least twice.[citation needed]

Curly fries

Tornado fries

Curly fries are characterized by their spring-like shape. They are generally made from whole potatoes that are cut using a specialized spiral slicer. They also typically (but not always) have additional seasonings, which give the fries a more orange appearance than standard fries, which are more yellow. Seasoned curly fries taste slightly spicier than standard fries.[citation needed]

Tornado Fries

Tornado Fries (the name is a trademark) are made by skewering the whole potato, and then cutting with a specialized spiral slicer. The potato is spread evenly along the skewer and deep fried. The cooking process fuses the potato to the skewer and holds it in place. It is then sprinkled with dry seasonings or served with dipping sauce. Tornado Fries get their name from the tornado-like shape that the potato has on the skewer.[32]

Health aspects

Fries frying in oil

French fries contain primarily carbohydrates from the potato (mostly in the form of starch) and fat absorbed during the deep-frying process. For example: a large serving of French fries at McDonald's in the United States is 5.4 ounces (154 grams); nearly all of the 500 calories per serving derive from the 63 g of carbohydrates and the 25 g of fat; a serving also contains 6 g of protein, plus 350 mg of sodium.[34]

Frying French fries in beef tallow, lard, or other animal fats adds saturated fat to the diet. Replacing animal fats with tropical vegetable oils, such as palm oil, simply substitutes one saturated fat for another. Replacing animal fats with partially hydrogenated oil reduces cholesterol but adds trans fat, which has been shown to both raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. Canola/Rapeseed oil, or sunflower-seed oil are also used, as are mixes of vegetable oils, but beef tallow is generally more popular, especially amongst fast-food outlets that use communal oil baths.[35][36][37] Accordingly, many restaurants now advertise their use of unsaturated oils; for example, both Five Guys and Chick-fil-A advertise that their fries are prepared with peanut oil,[38][39] while In-N-Out advertises that their fries are prepared with vegetable oil.[40]

French fries contain some of the highest levels of acrylamides of any foodstuff, and concerns have been raised about the impact of acrylamides on human health.[41] According to the American Cancer Society it is not clear, as of 2013[update], whether acrylamide consumption affects people's risk of getting cancer.[41]

In the United States in 2002, the McDonald's Corporation agreed to donate $10 million to Hindu and other groups to settle lawsuits filed against the chain for mislabeling French fries and hash browns as vegetarian,[46] because their French fries and hash browns were found to contain beef extract added during production.